Models - Another tool for use in global change research

Models are increasingly being used in the plant sciences to integrate and extrapolate information derived from laboratory and field investigations. To illustrate the utility of models in global change research, a series of leaf, canopy, ecosystem, and global-scale models are used to explore the response of trees to atmospheric CO[sub 2] enrichment. A biochemical model highlights the effects of elevated CO[sub 2] and temperature on photosynthesis, the consequences of Rubisco down-regulation to leaf and canopy carbon gain, and the relationships among stomatal conductance, transpiration, leaf area, and canopy energy balance. A forest succession model examines the effects of CO[sub 2] on species composition and forest productivity, while a model of the global carbon cycle illustrates the effects of rising CO[sub 2] on terrestrial carbon storage and the interaction of this affect with temperature. We conclude that models are appropriate tools for use both in guiding existing studies and in identifying new hypotheses for future research.